Adjustable doll&#39;s eye



A. v. GROUPE.

ADJUSTABLE DOLLS EYE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-3,1920.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- A. v. GROUPE. ADJUSTABLE DOLLS EYE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-3.1920. 1,370,889. Patented Mar. 8,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Inventor.-

PATENT OFFICE.

AJNIDREW V, GROUPE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADJUSTABLE DOLLS EYE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 3, 1920. Serial No. 407,918.

To' all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW V. Gnoors, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Dolls Eyes, of w is a specification.

This invention relates to im rovements 1n adjustable eyes for dolls an other figure toys.

The object of the invention is to provide ich the following an eye device of novel simple, eificient and inexpensive construction which may be readily. adjusted to properly locate the pupils and irises of the eyes Within the eye openings in a dolls head, and which may e readily fitted and adjusted to a dolls head to cause the eyes to turn properly within the eye openings ofthe head to produce the well known sleepin and waking effects when the doll is moved rom an upright to a recumbent positionand back a ain.

The invention is characterized by the employment therein of eyes of spherical or approximate or partial spherical form and a shaft carrying the eyes and having its axis 1 piercing the center points of the eyes and constituting the turning axis thereof for the production of the sleeping and waking effects, in combination with means to permit each eye to be adjusted inde endentl of the other not only toward and mm eac other longitudinally of the shaft and abput or around the axis thereof but also about or around an axis which pierces the center point of the spherical eye and pierces the axis of the shaft at right angles thereto; so that each eye may be turned on the axis of the shaft to raise or lower its pupil and ms relatively to itso ening in the dolls head without moving t 9 center point of the eye away from th axis of the shaft, and so that.

each eye may be turned on its aforesaid axis which is at right angles or normal to the axis of the shaft to adjust or turn 1ts pup1l and iris toward either end of its opening 1n the dolls head without moving the center point of the eye awa from or longitud nally of the axis of the s aft. It follows, therefore, that during and after any ad ustment of either orboth eyes the center points thereof will remain on the axis of the shaft and that when the shaft is mounted in a dolls head so that the eyes will turn on the axis thereof for the sleepin and waking. effects, the spherical e es will turn true in their openings in the ead without moving toward or from the wall of the head forming the eye openlngs.

One of the important features of my invention which I vision between each eye and the shaft therefor of a positive pivotal connection, the axis of which extends at right angles or normal to and pierces the axis of the shaft in combination with means to retain the eye in different positions of adjustment relatively thereto for the prevent1on of the shifting of the center point of the s herical eye from the axis of the shaft when the eye is adjusted by turning it either to the right or to the left to set the pupil and iris thereof properly between the ends "of the eye opening in the 5 is a detail, showing the bendable F1 member for connecting the eyes.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the e es and ad acent parts, on line (5-6 of i .3.

ig. 7 is a vertical section through one of the eyes on line 7--7 of Fig. 3.

claim broadly is the pro-' Patented Mar.8,1921.' Y

view, the invention consists in the novel 8 is a section through the bendable F1 mem er for connecting the eyes, on line 8-8 of Fig. 5. r

,Fig. 9 is a rear view of one of the outer shells of the eyes.

Fig. 10 is a side view of one of the outer shells. I

Fig. 11 is a side view of one of the inner parltls of the eyes which receives an outer she Fig. 12 is 'a top view of the parts shown in Fig. 11.

ig. 13 is a side view of one of the members carried by one of e parts shown in Flg. 11.

. the

Flg. 22 1s a rear view Fig. 14 is a rear view of an eye structure showing a modified form of embodiment oi the invention.

Fi 15 is a vertical section on line 15-15 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a horizontal section, on line 16-16 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 17 is a rear view of an eye structure,

showing another form of embnt of the invention.

Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are sections, on lines jg-187, 19-19 and 20.-120, respectively, of

.212is atop view ofa modified form of ment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1

. to 13, inclusive; and, referring thereto, 4

designates the eyes of a pair which are fitted to turn in the openings 3 formed in the The eyes'4 are connected by a part or member 12 which is formed oi-a" single piece wall of the head 2. For convenience -o1- manufactu're, each eye 4 comprises an outer- ,shell 5 of partial or approximate spherical form, and an inner part 9, the shell 5 and part 9 being securedtogether and forming,

in effect, an integral structure, as will here inafter appear.

The outer shell 5 simulates the natural eye for the doll, being provided with a pupil 10 and an iris 11 on a white field, and it may be constructed of any suitable material. The generalstructure of the shell 5, excepting as hereinafter described, may be substantia-llfie the same as disclosed in United States tters Patent Nos. 1,187,926- and of suitable sheet metal and comprisesa botw-ardly and outwardly from said plate, heads:

l7ion the upper ends of the arms 14, and

tom ring or plate 13, arms 14'd1verging upprojections 21 extending u wardly 'from the tops of the heads 17. he heads 17' are cupped to receive and fit against the rearward"porth'ms of the shellsfi; and the shells 5,-parts 9' and connecting member 12 are firmly secured together by screws 22 which penetrate theheads 17 and shells'5 and are screwed into the parts 9, the heads of. the screws 22engag1ng the heads 17 and clamping them and the rearward portions of the f shells 5 together and against the inner parts ndable connecting member for the 9 of the eyes 4. The arms 14 have an undulant or sinuous form which may be bent in all directions and which normally retain their original or any other form to which they may be bent, as and for purposes hereinafter explained. The lower end portion of the connecting member 12 for the eyes 4 is provided with a relatively heavy weight 23 formed of lead or other suit-able .material. This weight 23 penetrates the plate orring 13 of themember 12 and is firmly locked thegeto by having parts thereof engaging opposite faces of the plate 13.

The innerparts 9 ofthe eyes'4 are made hollow for lightness of construction and to provide large central openings 24 therein;

and each part 9 is pivoted on a member 25' which extends vertically through the eye 4 containing the part 9 and has its upper and lower end portlons fitted to bearings in the top and bottom of the part 9, to permit the part 9-and its shell 5 to be turned about the vertical axis of the member 25, for adjusting -purposes hereinafter explained. The mem bers 25 are inthe form of round pins of uni 'form ;diameter throughout their lengths; and vertical displacement thereof within the, partsv 9 is prevented by the engagement of the ends of the members 25 with the inner walls of the shells 5.

Extending centrally between and into the eyes 4 is a round shaft 26, the-end portions of which extend through horizontal slots 27 inthe walls of the shell 5-and' enter the openings 24 in the "parts 9 and-extend throng and beyond -the central. portions of the members 25;? 'The shafit 26- is fitted to round openingsf'in the members 25 in a manner to rmit them to be moved longitudinally o the shaft and to be turned about theaxis thereof independently of each other.'-'

The shaft 26'iscarried by a centrally arranged bracket 28 having a' hearing or bearing's 29 through which the-shaft extends. The bracket '28 carries all the remaining parts of the eye structure and it is adapted to be secured 'to -the inner wall ofthe head-2,

with the eyes 4 in proper position within the openingsB, by any suitable means, such as s Fig- 1. The bracket 28' may extend onlyupwardly from the bearings 29, as shown by.

full lines inthe drawings, or it may extend 7 also from, the bearings 29, as shown by ot-anddash lines, at 31, in Figs.

downwardl 1 and 3; and, when the bracket '28 extends both upwardly and downwardly from the.

bearings 29, both the'upper and lower end portions thereoi may bes'ecured to the head 2b cement. w I

en the bracket 28 is secured in place within the head 2 with the eyes 4 in proper position within the openings 3', the eyes 4, their connecting member. 12 and the 'memllaio; or othen'cement, shown at 30 in bers25 carrying the eyes 4 are adapted to turn about the axis of the shaft 26, and,

shaft 26, and the shaft 26 may turn in its bearings 29 at the same time.

The gravity action of the weight 23 turns the eyes 4 about the axis of the shaft {26 when the doll carrying the head 2 is moved from an upri ht to a recumbent position and back again, or thevclosing and opening of the eyes 4, in the usual well known manner. The movement of the eyes 4 to the open position is limited by the engagement of the slots 27 in the shells 5 an weight 23 with the cement pad 32 in the head 2, andthe movement of the eyes 4 to the closed position is limited by the engagement of the projections 21 with the wall of the head 2 above the eye openings 3.

In assemblin the parts of the eye structure shown in Tigs. 1 to 13, inclusive, the members 25 are placed within the parts 9, and the members 25 and parts 9 are placed within the shells 5. The parts 9 and membars 25 may be placedinto the shells 5 by 0 suing the rearward portions thereof, or t ey may be placed into the shells 5 before the operation of turning inwardly the rearward portions of the shells in the formation thereof takes,place. The latter method is preferred, because the shells 5 are stiff, and if the parts 9 are reasonably wide or large, it is not eas to 0' en. the rearward portions of the she ls su ciently to permit the insertion of the parts 9. After the parts 9.and members 25 are placed within the shells 5, the ends of the shaft 26 which was previousl passed through the bearings 29 of the brac et 28, are assed through the g into-the openings in the members 25. The heads 17 of the connecting member 12 are then placed against the rearward portions of the shells 5, and the screws 22 are inserted and tightened.

After the parts have been assembled, as shown in Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, it is not necessary to oosen the screws 22 to make any adjustments of the eyes. The shells 5, parts 9, connecting member 12 and screws 22 are, in effect, a solid, integral structure;

. other so that they will properly fit the open;

,, 'Dollsj heads are not made uniform in many'ins't'ances and itis frequently necessary to adjust the eye structures therefor in many ways to cause the eyes properly to turn in close proximity to the walls of the openin 3. f

In adjusting the eye structure, shown in Figs. 3- to 7, inclusive, properly to fit a dolls head, the eyes 4 are adjusted toward or from each other longitudinally of the shaft 26 by bendin the member 12 and sliding one or both 0 the members 25 on the shaft 26 until they eyes 4will enter and fit the openings 3 and turn therein in close proximity to the walls thereof about the axis of the shaft26. This adjustment is madebefore the bracket 28 is secured within the head 2. To adjust the eyes 4 so that the upils and irises thereof will be set roperly between the tops and bottoms of t e openings 3, the member 12 is bent to turn the members 25 on the shaft 26 independently of each other until the up and down adjustments of the pupils and irises have been accomplished; and to adjust the eyes 4 proper positions betwen the ends of the openings 3, the member 12 is bent to turn the e es independently of each other on the members 25 until the lateral adjustments of the pupils and irises have been accomplished.

The up and down and lateral adjustments of the pupils and irises may be done by taking hold of the projecting heads of the screws 22 and operatlng them as levers to bend the member 12 and adjust the eyes, and this may be done before or after the bracket 28 has been permanently secured in place within the head 2.

The material of which the connecting member 12 is made is soft'enough to ermit the bending thereof by the applicatlon of reasonable force for the adjustment of the eyes, and hard and rigid enough tomaintain the shells 5, parts 9, and members 25 in fixed relative positions for all practical purposes after the ad'ustments have been made. Before and a ter the adjustments 'have been made, the connecting, member 12 .prevents the members 25 from turning relatively to each other about the axis of the shaft 26.

The axis of the shaft 26 pierces the center points of the s herical eyes 4,'and the lon itudinal axis 0 each member 25 pierces t e center fpoint of its eye and also pierces the axis 0 the shaft 26 and extends at right angles or normal thereto. In-ot-her words, the axes of the shaft 26 and each member 25 meet and cross each other at the centerpoint of the spherical eye 4. These are im ortant features of construction because, w an the eyes 4 are adjusted toward and from each is so that the pupils and irises will occupy ings 3 to turn therein on the axis of the shaft 26, the center pointsof the spherical eyes 4 will. not be moved trom: the axis oi? the shaft; and because, when the eyes 4 are turned on the axis of the shaft 26 to raise or lowerthe pupils'and irises of the eyes relatively tothe openings 3,. thecenter points of the spherical eyes 4 will not be proper turning of 'theeyeballs within the eye openings and in close proximity thereto when the doll is moved from an upright to a recumbent position and back again after any or all of the eye adjustments have been made.

In the modification shown in 14,15 and 16, the connecting member 33 for the eyes instead ofbeing providedwith' the heads 17 is provided with: hollow, approxi-- mately hemi-spherical heads 34 which are 'fitted within the backs of approximately hemispherical outer shells 35 which simw late the natural eyes. The heads 34 areformed integral with the connecting mem-- ber 33 which, in other respects, is the saline as shownin Figs. 1 to 13, inclusive; and the shells 35 may be secured to theheads' 34 by being cemented thereto: or by halving:

their edges turned inwardly back" of the 1 edges of the heads 34, as shown, or both.- 'The heads 34' correspond with the parts 9',

and they are provided with stop projections- 3 6 which correspond with the stop projec=- tlons 21'.

heads 34 and turn therein are provided to Members 37 which support the correspond with the members 25;: and a shaft 38 and bracket 39 are provide'd to' correspond withthe shaft- 26- and bracket 28, previously referred to. It will thus be understood that the structure shown: in Figs. 14,-15'and 16 may be mounted in a dolls head and adjusted substantially same as the structure illustrated in Figs. ,1 to 13, inclusive.

In the modification shown in: Figs; 17 to 20, inclusive, the shaft 40 and bracket 49 are substantially the same as shown-in the constructions previously described, the shells 41, heads 42 and members 43 are substantially the same as the shells 35,- heads 34 and members 37 shown in Figs. 14', 15 and .16, excepting that the members 43 are secured to the shaft 40 by set screws 44 and that the heads 42 are connected to the shaft 40 by bendable arms 45 instead of being connected together by a bendable member. The arms 45 are formed integral with the heads 42 and are shaped as shown in the nsmaee drawings and extend from the heads 42' and embrace the shaft 40 in a manner to permit themto be moved longitudinally and to be turned about the axis of the shaft 40 independently of. each other with the heads 42 and their shells 41. The shaft 40 is provided with a centrally-arranged, down- 1 wardly-extendingl arm 46' carrying a weightmoved to the recumbent position. When it is desired to adjust the eyes 41- toward or from each-other or about the. axis oi the shaft 40, ln'dependently of each other, the v set screws 44 are loosened to permit the ad justments to be made and then tightened, causing the eyes 41 and shaft 40 to turn as a unit. When it is desired to adjust the eyes'41 to turn the pupil and inises-therecf laterally, the same may be done by bend ing one or both of the arms- 45 and turn-- ing one or both of the heads aboutonc or both: of the members 43.- The" bendable arms 45 will retain thepupils and ir-ie'es of the eyes in positions of lateral adust-- ment relatively to the shaft 40 after they have beenmoved thereto;

In Figs. 21' and 223-1 have-shown amedi fication of the connecting member 12' for" the eyes shown in: Figs. 1 to 13', inclusive; In this modification, a T-sha'ped piece; comprising the horizontal member 50 and' vertical member 51 connects the plate or ring 18' and heads 1 instead of the arms 1 4,

.and the horizontal member 50' is rovide-(1* with rearwardly bowed portions- 52 which permit it to be bent to efl'ect the adjustments for the eyes here'inbefore described- I claim as my invention: 1. The combination-of a shaft, an eye", means to pivotally connect the eye to the shaft on'an axis which is substantially normal to and intersects the axis of the shad-t, and meansto prevent the turning of said eye in either direction about the first named axis from different positions'of adjustment thereon. v

2. The combination of a shaft, a member carried by the shaft, aneye' pivoted on the member and adjustable thereon about the axis of itspivot, and means toretain the eye' in different. positions of adjustment ielatively to the member.

3. The combination of] a shaft, a-member carried by the shaft, an eyepivoted dn the member and adju's'table' thereon about the axis of its pivot, and means coliipe'rating with the shaft to retain the'ey'e' in different posi Eons of adjustment relatively to the mem- 4. The combination of a shaft, a member carried by the shaft, an eye pivoted onthe member on an axis which is normal to and intersects the axis of the shaft, and means to retain the eye in difierent positions of adjustment relatively to the member, said eye having a partial spherical form the center of which is in the region of the intersection of said axes.

5.- An eye comprising an outer shell and an inner part on which the shell is mounted, in combination with a shaft, a member carried by the shaft and on which said part is pivotally mounted, said eye being adjustable about the axis of the pivotal connection between said member and said part, and means to retain said part in difierent posiiions of adjustment relatively to said mem- 5 B1.

6. The combination of a hollow eye havmg an opening in one side thereof, a shaft extending into the eye through said opening, a member carried by the shaft, said eye being pivoted on said member and adustable thereon about the axis of its pivot, and said opening permitting the adjustment of the eye relatively to the shaft, and means to retain the eye in difierent positions of adjustment relativelyto the member.

7 The combination of a shaft, two'spaced members carried thereby, each member having an eye pivoted thereto on an axis which is normal to and intersects the axis of the shaft, the eyes being adjustable about the axes of their pivots relatively to each other and to said the'eyes in difierent positions of adjustment relatively to each other and to said membem.

8. The combination of a shaft, two spaced members slidable on said shaft toward and i om each other, ,each member having an eye pivoted thereto on an axis which is normal to and intersects the axis of the shaft, the eyes being adjustable about the axes of their pivots relatively to each other and to said members, and means to retain the eyes in difierent positions of adjustment relatively to each other and to said members and to retain said members at different distances apart on said shaft.

9. The combination of a shaft, twoaced members carried by said shaft and :djustmembers, and means to retain.

able independentlyof'each other about the 7 axis thereof, each member having an eye pivoted thereto on an axis which is normal to and intersects the axis ofthe shaft, the eyes bein adjustable about the axes of their pivots re atively to each other and to said members, and means to retain the eyes in different positions of adjustment relatively to each other and to said members and to retain said members in different positions of relative adjustment about the axis of said shaft.

10. The combination of a shaft, two spaced members slidable on said shaft to adjust them toward and from each other and rotatable on said shaft to adjust them independently of each other about the axis thereof, each member having an eye pivoted thereto on an axis which is normal to and intersects the axis of the shaft, the" eyes being adjustable about the axes of their pivots relatively to each other and to said members, and means to retain said members in difierent relative positions of adjustment on said shaft and to retain the eyes in different positions of adjustment relatively to each other and to said members.

11. The combination of a pair of eyes, a shaft therefor, connections between said eyes and shaft permitting said eyes to be adjusted relatively to each other and to said shaft, and means connecting said eyes'and normally preventing relative movement between them and being bendable to adjust said eyes relatively to each other and to said shaft.

12. The combination of a pair of eyes, a

shaft therefor, connections between said eyes and shaft permitting said eyes to be adjusted relatively to each other and to said shaft, means connecting said eyes and normally preventing relative movement between them and being bendable to adjust said eyes relatively to each other and to sald shaft, a bracket carrying said shaft, and a weight carried by said means for causing relative movement between the eyes and the bracket about the axis of the shaft when the bracket is turned.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature hereto.

ANDREW V. GROUPE. 

